An absolutely ATROCIOUS service experience. - tekdiveraz
Look Out! I have nothing but praise in working with Michael Dilello. He is honest and goes the extra mile to help out in dealing with issues. Unfortunately he was on vacation for three weeks, and I experienced an electrical failure that needed immediate diagnosis. I requested via the website Mel Charles. He initially dealt with me on the vehicle and was very courteous and competent. They explained they were quite backed up in the shop and may not have time to work on it till monday. I was afforded a loaner vehicle in the meantime. I was clear that if the repairs were exorbitant, I would be declining the repairs and having them done elsewhere. I requested for diagnosis and for them to call with a quote on necessary repairs for the vehicle.
Two hours later I get a call from Michael Wagner, who I DID NOT request to handle my repairs. He rattles off a laundry list of repairs, about 6 items in total, averaging 1600 dollars PER line item. He then tells me that the instrument cluster reported a failure code, and that item alone is 3800 dollars. He then proceeded to play good cop and tell me that there is likely nothing to worry about with the instrument cluster but that I will need a new alternator at a cost of 2800 dollars, combined parts and labor, Air oil separator and necessary hoses, 1600, Steering sensor control, 300, etc... I then told him I needed a bit of time to think about how this was going to be handled, particularly the cost of all of this. It then made me think about trading the vehicle. And then I realized how this scam worked.
So anyway, I call Michael Wagner back, and get voicemail. I left him a message to do only the steering sensor calibration (300) and since I needed the air oil separator, Id have the owner of JSE Automotive, change the oil at that time. He then ordered an oil change for the vehicle and a sensor recalibration, which was successful.
When I got the vehicle in to Jason Schwab at JSE Automotive, he went off the shop ticket diagnosis, not the email I recieved. I was under the impression that all these things were wrong with the vehicle. I was suspicious about the air oil separator, particularly the price. 800 dollars for parts and 800 dollars for labor for that seemed REALLY RIDICULOUS. So I checked online for the necessary parts. It totaled a little over 175.00 for all of it. Hmm...
Later that day, I was told by the owner of JSE Automotive that the vehicle was all done. It troubled me that he found a bad bearing on the water pump, which was missed by Land Rover North Scottsdale. He also found that the clutch on the engine driven cooling fan was inop as well. He also tested the battery, which is something Land Rover service should have found in their inspection process. It had a failed cell. When I asked him if he had replaced the air oil separator, he said... it didnt need it. I asked him if he found any oil in the intake and throttle body, which is what Michael Wagner told me on the phone. It was completely clean, and the hose from the separator running up to the intake was free and clear. Hmm... I call B.S. For the cost of one line item I resolved all of the valid discrepancies found in the shop that were detailed on the garage ticket. If I had gone along with what I was told by Michael Wagner in his email, and the song and dance he did on the phone, I would have wasted at least 6500.00. It makes me wonder how many others he has potentially defrauded in this manner. I have requested Jaguar Land Rover USA to investigate this issue, and may decide to have the county attorney investigate as well. This man has a real ethical issue.
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